Atlanta Braves closer Kenley Jansen will be on the shelf for a while.
Unfortunately, he is dealing with a potentially dangerous issue: an irregular heartbeat.
The Athletic’s David O’Brien made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon and explained a bit more about Jansen’s condition.
“#Braves put Kenley Jansen on the 15-day IL with an irregular heartbeat, an issue he’s dealt with in the past. They recalled RH Jesús Cruz from Triple-A Gwinnett. Would expect A.J. Minter and possibly Will Smith to be the closers for now, though we haven’t talked to Snitker yet,” he stated, via Twitter.
#Braves put Kenley Jansen on the 15-day IL with an irregular heartbeat, an issue he's dealt with in the past. They recalled RH Jesús Cruz from Triple-A Gwinnett. Would expect A.J. Minter and possibly Will Smith to be the closers for now, though we haven't talked to Snitker yet.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) June 28, 2022
The relief pitcher has dealt with an irregular heartbeat earlier in his career when he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He had surgery to correct the issue in 2018, or at least that was the thought back then.
A Reliable Closer
Jansen has been rock-solid in his first season as the Braves closer.
He has 20 saves already, coupled with a strong 3.58 ERA and 0.95 WHIP.
At this time, nobody knows how much time he will be forced to miss, but the Braves will clearly make sure everything is right with his heart before even thinking about a return to active duties.
The Braves are expected to offer more details about Jansen’s situation in the upcoming hours.
For now, the Braves are losing a valuable late-inning reliever for the foreseeable future.
Jansen has been one of the reasons the Braves are currently five games away from the division-leading New York Mets after a rough start.
He has brought in some stability to Atlanta’s relief corps.
The whole baseball community is wishing Jansen a speedy recovery and a quick return to major league mounds.
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